Assessment the impact of ecotourism activities on biodiversity conservation in cat ba national park hai phong city

gMINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF FORESTRY STUDENT THESIS ASSESSMENT THE IMPACT OF ECOTOURISM ACTIVITIES ON BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IN CA

gMINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF FORESTRY

STUDENT THESIS

ASSESSMENT THE IMPACT OF ECOTOURISM ACTIVITIES ON BIODIVERSITY

CONSERVATION IN CAT BA NATIONAL PARK, HAI PHONG CITY

Major: Natural Resources Management

Code: D850101

Faculty: Forest Resources and Environmental Management

Student: Nguyen Thi Hang Student ID: 1453091575

Class: K59 Natural Resources Management Course: 2014 - 2018

Advanced Education Program Developed in collaboration with Colorado State University, USA

Supervisor: Assoc Prof Dr Dong Thanh Hai

Ha Noi, 2018

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my very great appreciation to Assoc Prof Dr Dong Thanh Hai from Vietnam National Forestry University, my research supervisor, for his enthusiastic encouragement and useful comments Without his thoughtful, patient guidance through each step of my research, this thesis could not be completed

I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the head, staff of Cat Ba National Park, the local people, the tourists for helping me enthusiastically during the data collection and providing the useful information

Many others have contributed to the success of this thesis, but I would especially like

to thank my family and classmates from K59 Natural Resources Management-Advanced program for their support Last but not least, this thesis may never have been completed without the support of the Faculty of Forest Resources and Environmental Management always encouraged me throughout my studies and research

Despite spending the best efforts in the process of conducting the thesis, this research

is still lacking due to the limitations of my time, finance and ability I look forward to receiving feedback from teachers, friends to complete the thesis better

Thank you!

ABSTRACT

The topic of "Assisting the impact of ecotourism activities on biodiversity conservation in Cat Ba National Park, Hai Phong city" was carried out in Cat Ba National Park, Cat Hai district, Hai Phong city

This study is based on a survey conducted for tourists about ecotourism The main objective of the study was to identify the current status of ecotourism development and assess the impacts of ecotourism on biodiversity conservation in the Cat Ba National Park then propose solutions to limit the impact of the activities of ecotourism to the conservation of biodiversity and improve the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation in Cat Ba National Park The methods used for data collection are interview and line transects survey The study shows that Cat Ba National Park has high value for landscape and biodiversity to develop ecotourism, which also satisfies the level of tourists to ecotourism services The study also shows the remaining issues for ecotourism in Cat Ba National Park such as environmental sanitation, facilities The findings also suggest that there is need to create more awareness by providing information on threats affecting biodiversity by ecotourism and its harm so as to encourage the local leaders and community people sustainable tourism development and conservation of natural tourism resources

Keyword: ecotourism, biodiversity, conservation

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

ABBREVIATIONS

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF TABLES

I INTRODUCTION 1

II LITERATURE REVIEW 3

2.1 Overview of ecotourism 3

2.1.1 Concept of ecotourism 3

2.1.2 Characteristics of ecotourism 3

2.1.3 The basic principles of ecotourism 4

2.2 Biodiversity and biodiversity conservation 4

2.2.1 Biodiversity 4

2.2.2 Biodiversity conservation 5

2.3 The impact of ecotourism on biodiversity conservation 5

2.3.1 The positive impact of ecotourism 5

2.3.2 The negative impact of ecotourism 6

III GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 7

3.1 Goals 7

3.2 Objectives 7

IV METHODOLOGY 8

4.1 Study site description 8

4.1.1 Natural conditions 8

4.1.2 Socio-Economic Conditions 10

4.2 Methodology 11

4.2.1 Secondary document review 11

4.2.2 Data collection 12

4.2.3 Data analysis 14

V RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 15

5.1 Current status of ecotourism in Cat Ba National Park 15

5.1.1 Status of infrastructure system of the Cat Ba National Park 15

5.1.2 Tourism services 17

5.1.3 The tourist spots and routes 19

5.1.4 Tourist characteristics 24

5.2 Assessment of impacts of ecotourism on biodiversity conservation in Cat Ba National Park 28

5.2.1 Positive impact 28

5.2.2 Negative impact 34

5.3 Propose some solutions for sustainable ecotourism development in association with biodiversity conservation in Cat Ba National Park 38

VI CONCLUSION 43

6.1 Conclusion 43

6.1.1 Current status of ecotourism activities at Cat Ba National Park 43

6.1.2 Impacts of ecotourism on biodiversity conservation of Cat Ba National Park 43

6.1.3 Proposing solutions 44

6.2 Constraints 44

6.3 Recommendation 44 REFERENCES

APPENDIX

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 4 1 Geographic map of Cat Ba NP 9

Figure 4 2 Map of transect line survey 14

Figure 5 1 Some ecotourism routes in Cat Ba National Park 23

Figure 5 2 The reason tourists choose to travel in Cat Ba National Park 25

Figure 5 3 Information sources for tourist to know Cat Ba NP 26

Figure 5 4 Desire to participate in ecotourism activities of the community 30

Figure 5 5 Tourism services that the community wants to be involved 30

Figure 5 6 Tourist bring food and water to forest 36

Figure 5 7 Tourist's perception of the impact of ecotourism on biodiversity conservation 38

LIST OF TABLES

Table 5 1 Satisfaction levels of tourists about infrastructure 15

Table 5 2 Satisfaction levels of tourists about tourism services 18

Table 5 3 Number of tourists to Cat Ba NP (period 2015-2017) 24

Table 5 4 Sightseeing time of tourists at Cat Ba NP 27

Table 5 5 The number of times that tourists have to visit Cat Ba NP 27

Table 5 6 Feelings of tourists about Cat Ba NP 27

Table 5 7 Revenue from tourism of Cat Ba NP (period 2015-2017) 28

Table 5 8 Perception of local people about the species in Cat Ba NP 31

Table 5 9 Ecotourism activities in Cat Ba NP attract tourists 32

Table 5 10 Satisfaction levels of tourists about knowledge after trips 33

Table 5 11 Tourists perceptions of biodiversity conservation 33

Table 5 12 Camping activities tourists want to participate 34

Table 5 13 Satisfaction levels of tourists about environmental sanitation 35

Table 5 14 Consciousness of tourists on general hygiene 35

Table 5 15 Some activities from tourism affect the environment most 37

I INTRODUCTION

Biodiversity is an important basis for the survival and development of nations Therefore, conservation of biodiversity has become a matter of concern, especially in the national park and nature reserve However, in recent years, under the impact of global climate change, biodiversity is being seriously affected

Ecotourism is considered one of the ways that both support biodiversity conservation and at the same time support socio-economic development effectively Ecotourism has changed dramatically, gradually becoming a global trend

Vietnam has a tropical monsoon climate with 75% of the total area is mountain and plateau, the coast stretches over 3200km and there are many small and medium islands In addition, there is also a diversity of forest and marine ecosystems The harmonious combination of natural landscape and traditional culture is the condition and potential for ecotourism development in Vietnam However, it is also a great challenge in biodiversity conservation under the impact of ecotourism

Located in the east of Hai Phong city, Cat Ba National Park is an ideal place to develop ecotourism Cat Ba National Park was established on 31 March 1986 under the No.79/CP decision of the Council of Ministers of Vietnam (now the government) It has a beautiful natural landscape, rich vegetation with more than 1500 species About animal, so far

282 species have been recorded These include 32 species of mammals, 78 birds’ species, 20 species of reptiles and amphibians, 98 species of zooplankton, 196 species of marine fish and

177 species of coral (Cat Ba National Park, 2016) The most common mammals include civet, deer, macaques, and squirrels The island is on a major migration route for waterfowl which feed and roost in the mangrove forest

In addition to the benefits, tourism development also has negative impacts on the biodiversity and conservation of Cat Ba National Park Tourism development requires ecosystem impact, which results in abnormal changes in the natural development tendency of

ecological processes Therefore, the pressure of tourism activities on the conservation of the national park is increasing

This shows that tourism and conservation have a reciprocal relationship very close, intimate, interactive support each other In addition, development of tourism activities irrational may become causes of the decline in the value of the resources, declining environmental quality and thus also impair the effectiveness of tourism activities

The development of tourism has become a pressure for Cat Ba National Park In the current context, research on ecotourism and its impact on biodiversity conservation in Cat Ba National Park are necessary However, there is no project or specific research on the level of impact, recent research has only assessed the potential development of ecotourism in Cat Ba National Park In order to understand the impacts of ecotourism activities on conservation at Cat Ba National Park and to contribute to the promotion of sustainable tourism development, author carried out research topics: "Assessment the impact of ecotourism activities on biodiversity conservation in Cat Ba National Park, Hai Phong city"

II LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Overview of ecotourism

2.1.1 Concept of ecotourism

The Nature Conservancy adopts the definition articulated by the World Conservation Union (IUCN): "Environmentally responsible travel to natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature (and accompanying cultural features, both past and present) that promotes conservation, have a low visitor impact and provide for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local peoples." Ecotourism is distinguished by its emphasis on conservation, education, traveler responsibility and active community participation (Ceballos-Lascurain, 1996)

- Ecologically Sustainable: Due to ecotourism development on the abundant environment in nature, formation and extent of use for tourism activities should be maintained and managed for the sustainability of the ecosystem and the tourism sector

- Environmentally Educative: The educative component of ecotourism is a key element that separates it from all other forms of nature-based tourism Ecotourism includes education: In the environment; about the environment; for the environment

- Locally Beneficial: Ecotourism always involves local communities This can occur through the provision of knowledge, services, facilities, and products

- Tourist Satisfaction: Ecotourism, like tourism generally, strives for tourist satisfaction Without satisfied Eco-tourists, there is no ecotourism Eco-tourists are becoming better informed and more discerning

2.1.3 The basic principles of ecotourism

According to Rinkesh (2015), ecotourism is about responsible travel to natural areas that promote conservation, bring harmony among communities, and sustains the well-being of local people People who implement and participate in ecotourism activities should adopt the following ecotourism principles:

- Minimize physical, social, behavioral, and psychological impacts

- Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect

- Provide positive experiences for both visitors and local people

- Provide direct financial benefits for environmental conservation

- Generate financial benefits for both local people and private industry

- Deliver memorable interpretative experiences to visitors that help raise sensitivity

to host countries’ political, environmental, and social climates

- Design, construct and operate low-impact facilities

2.2 Biodiversity and biodiversity conservation

several levels, starting with genes, then individual species, then communities of creatures and finally entire ecosystems, such as forests or coral reefs, where life interplays with the physical environment These myriad interactions have made Earth habitable for billions of years A more philosophical way of viewing biodiversity is this: it represents the knowledge learned by evolving species over millions of years about how to survive through the vastly varying environmental conditions Earth has experienced

According to WWF (1989): Biodiversity is the prosperity of life on earth, as hundreds

of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, genes are contained within species and are extremely ecosystems and it complex coexistence in the environment

2.2.2 Biodiversity conservation

Biodiversity conservation is the process of managing the interaction between humans and the genes, species, and ecosystems that are most beneficial to the present generation and maintains their potential, to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations (Dictionary

of Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, 2001)

In order to be able to carry out management activities to conserve biodiversity, it is necessary to understand the negative impacts and threats that species currently face and to develop management approaches appropriate to reduce the negative impact of such risks

2.3 The impact of ecotourism on biodiversity conservation

2.3.1 The positive impact of ecotourism

Dawson et al (2015) note that ecotourism affords an opportunity to raise public awareness through education, generate local economic benefits through tourist’s expenditure and related business, from that hence promote conservation of threatened species and systems Ecotourism follows the principles that it will bring great benefits to ensure the preservation of natural and human values Introducing the ecosystem to tourists will contribute to raising awareness, changing attitudes and behaviors to protect the biodiversity of tourists Moreover, ecotourism, through environmental interpretations, helps tourists and local communities better

understand the natural and human values of their place of residence Protecting and promoting cultural identity is an important principle that ecotourism must follow; as cultural values are

an integral part of the natural value- is also the target of national parks

2.3.2 The negative impact of ecotourism

While specific to the context, there is a range of potential negative impacts of ecotourism that can include disturbance to foraging, nesting or resting, habituation of wildlife

to humans through provisioning, desensitization of wildlife to humans and other potential threats (Hughes and Carlsen, 2008) This means all ecotourism activities can affect biodiversity conservation, which can disturb ecological and biodiversity The development of uncontrolled tourism can affect the soil (erosion, landslides), disturbance of habitats, threats to wildlife (noise, hunting, etc.) Construction of roads and campsites that prevent wildlife from moving for prey, breeding or reproduction, damaging coral reefs by specimen collection, ornamental fish or mooring In addition, adverse impacts may also occur to habitats and broader ecosystems through waste, removal or trampling of flora, soil compaction, and erosion

III GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

3.1 Goals

The general goal of the research is to assess the impact on biodiversity conservation

by ecotourism activities in Cat Ba National Park, from which to propose solutions to limiting the impact of ecotourism activities on biodiversity conservation and improving the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation in Cat Ba National Park

3.2 Objectives

- To identify the current status of ecotourism in Cat Ba National Park

- To assess the impacts of ecotourism on conservation at Cat Ba National Park in both positive and negative aspects

- To give a recommendation for sustainable ecotourism development and biodiversity conservation

- Cat Ba island coordinates:

20042′ – 20054′ North latitude

106°52′- 107°07′ East longitude

- Cat Ba National Park coordinates:

20°44′50″-20°55′29″ North latitude 106°54′20″-107°10′05″ East longitude

Figure 4 1 Geographic map of Cat Ba NP

(Source: Management Board of Cat Ba National Park)

4.1.1.2 Topography, climate, hydrology, and natural resources

Cat Ba is a tropical monsoon climate and is directly influenced by oceanic climate, southwest monsoon in summer and northeast monsoon in winter, less harsh than areas with the same latitude in the mainland Cat Ba is a limestone archipelago, almost a system of rivers and streams on the island does not develop Temporary flows only appear in the rain and stop immediately after rain In the rainy season, the water is deposited in some small areas, leaking

in caves All of Cat Ba Island is mountainous areas with elevations between 50-200m; the average slope is 30-40 degrees The main terrain of Cat Ba is limestone alternating with many large and small valleys In terms of mineral resources, in addition to limestone, Cat Ba Island also has valuable mineral water The Cat Ba area, as well as the northeastern part of Vietnam, has a long history of geological development, had been a part of the folded structure Caledonia marks the end geosynclinal regime deep sea Karatzia in late Silurian The results of the field survey and the secondary site mapping show that the communes inside and outside of

Cat Ba National Park are mostly limestone, along with the Karst topography and humid tropical climate have formed the six main types of land

According to the survey result of Forest Inventory and Planning Institute has identified 1,585 species include: Group of plants for wood: 432 species; Medicinal plants: 1026 species; Food supply: 273 species; Ornamental plants and shade trees: 253 species; Group of plastic extracts: 26 species; Group of art materials: 45 species Of these, 53 endangered species are listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam (2007) and the World Red Book (2009) In addition, Cat Ba National Park has 343 species of vertebrate in shallow fewer than 4 classes: mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians With conifers in Cat Ba National Park, there are 274 species belonging to 79 families and 14 orders On marine life, according to research results of scientists from Institute of Marine Resources and Environment, Hai Phong Marine Research Institute showed that there are 31 species of seaweed; 80 marine species; 91 species of zooplankton; 81 species of phytoplankton; 81 species of coral

4.1.2 Socio-Economic Conditions

According to data from Haiphong Statistical Office, population growth in Cat Ba Island is mainly natural increase with an average of 0.68% per year (2011), lower than the annual average of Hai Phong city and the whole country The population is relatively stable in recent years The average population density of the district is 80 people /km2 The total population of the region in 2011 is 16,566 people, the proportion of men and women in the past few years has not changed significantly, and the proportion of women than men is usually slightly higher

Table 4 1 The population situation of the commune town in Cat Ba Island

Natural increase rate

4.2 Methodology

This research was conducted from June to October The written proposal was written from June to July and the fieldwork was from August 8 th , 2018 to August 20 th, 2018 From August 25 th, 2018 to October 25 th, 2018 is the time to analyze the data and complete the thesis

4.2.1 Secondary document review

Before conducting data collection, the author wrote the proposed thesis; learn about the research area through the documents, the previous studies related to information about the study area and activities ecological tourism such as natural conditions, maps and maps ecotourism

Step 1: Identify the data required in the research:

- Map of Cat Ba National Park

- Information on the animal area, on the activities of ecotourism in this park (rare species, their distribution)

- Human resources (folklore, culture, and traditions)

- Information on the ecotourism activities available in the national protected areas

Step 2: The inheritance data can be collected from Cat Ba National Park Management Board:

- Map of Cat Ba National Park

- The fauna and flora in Cat Ba National Park

- Information on politics - society - defense of the commune in Cat Ba town

- Information on ecotourism

Step 3: Secondary data need to be collected from external sources

- Books, newspapers: collecting information related to Cat Ba National Park

- Organization of tourism

Step 4: Collect secondary materials

Step 5: Detailed study on the data values collected

- Identify the data values

- Compared with the research objectives

- Assessment: Identification and classification of data; Reliability and usability of data

Step 6: Obtain the necessary data collected from the original data

4.2.2 Data collection

4.2.2.1 Preparation

- Preparation of useful equipment for data collection: pens, maps, notebooks, tools, etc

- Identification of preliminary survey routes

- Prepare a questionnaire

4.2.2.2 Interview

Step 1: Determine the needed information on the current state of ecotourism activities, the

potential ecotourism sites, local community culture

Step 2: Identify the interviewed subject: based on the information to be collected, it’s

necessary to introduce some subject as follow tourist (international and domestic tourist) and local people

Step 3: Develop interview questions with locals and tourists

- For local people: The study has interviewed 40 households of 4 communes in the locality of Cat Ba town, the object interview is the head of households and selects randomly The questions focused on participation in ecotourism activities of the local people and their attitude to the conservation of biodiversity through ecotourism Questionnaires for local people are in Appendix 1

- For tourists: The study has interviewed 60 tourists about travel quality and their expectation of participating ecotourism in Cat Ba National park Questionnaires for tourists are in Appendix 2

- For management and staff in Cat Ba National park: The study has interviewed 5 staffs

of Cat Ba National park The question focused on investment in ecotourism development in Cat Ba National Park and the conservation of biodiversity in here Questionnaires for staffs are in Appendix 3

Step 4: Conduct interviews: When interviewing, the object should understand the mean of

questions, the information needs to be briefly noted

Step 5: Synthesize, analyze and save the collected data

4.2.2.3 Line transect survey

After collecting information from the secondary materials and interviewed method, the study conducted a field survey by the transect line survey method:

Step 1: Creating maps for transect lines: In this study, the author created four transects

through main routes in Cat Ba National Park:

1 Kim Giao forest - Ngu Lam peak

2 Trung Trang cave- Grottos route

3 Trung Trang cave- Goi stream

4 May Bau peak- Ech pond

The length of transects from 3 to 4 kilometers and it takes about 2 to 4 hours for each transect lines

Figure 4 2 Map of transect line survey

Step 2: Investigate and data collection on image, geographic location and potential

characteristics of tourism, infrastructure, transport

Step 3: Archiving, synthesizing and analyzing, classification of data collected

V RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

5.1 Current status of ecotourism in Cat Ba National Park

5.1.1 Status of infrastructure system of the Cat Ba National Park

As a result of the interview with tourists, 50% of tourists were satisfied and 36.6% of tourists were very satisfied with the facilities of Cat Ba National Park Only 1.6% of tourists were dissatisfied This indicates that Cat Ba National Park has met the conditions of facilities for tourists The results are presented in table 5.1:

Table 5 1 Satisfaction levels of tourists about infrastructure Tourism services Satisfaction levels of tourists

(Number of votes- Percentage (%)) Not satisfied Quite

30 50%

22 36.6%

(Source: Results calculated by the author based on data surveyed, 2018)

The reason for such results is that in recent years, facilities have been more investment Tourism business in the national park has been improved over the years, such as upgrading infrastructure, opening more tourist and educational routes in Ang Vat, improving road patrols combining tourism and road repair to Kim Giao forest, Ngu Lam peak, Trung Trang cave, to meet the increasing demand and diversity of tourists

- Water, electricity and communication systems:

+ Electrical system: Cat Ba NP is now a separate substation to supply electricity to areas in the park Lines and transformers have been pulled to almost all communes in the NP, ensuring that people have access to electricity

+ Communication system: Telephone coverage throughout the island (internet available) + Water system: Tap water temporarily meets people's consumption needs

- Traffic: tourists visit Cat Ba by both land and sea There are high-speed trains and ferries so travelers can move from the mainland to the island, and then they need to go by car

to the park

- Foodservice: The food service at the National Park is very convenient, attractive In the context of ecological natural, tourists will enjoy the unique cuisine with local specialties in the dining room of the Tourist Center (300m2 wide) with more than 30 tables or restaurants

"Kim Giao"

At present, Cat Ba NP has established a number of tourist sites in the service department of the national park management board, including:

- At the National Park Center have three types of accommodation totaling more than

30 rooms with a capacity of 180 to 220 people The rooms are divided into several levels of service to suit the price and each customer In general, the accommodation at Cat Ba National Park is well equipped for tourism activities

- Building roads in the area of administrative services, electricity and water systems

- Building propagandists, educating the environment, having enough equipment to support propagation and publicity

- Establishment of a service center for tourism and environmental education under the control of Cat Ba National Park This center has the function of managing and implementing propaganda campaigns, education resources, and environmental protection; to deploy scientific research and international cooperation services, combining nursing, eco-tourism, and environmental services in national parks

- Cat Ba National Park and Cat Hai district cooperate to build Center of visitors, cruise ship terminal and charging points at Beo station to manage tourism activities in Lan Ha Bay The emphasis on building and upgrading infrastructure has helped tourists enjoy marine ecotourism, providing essential information for tourism and education to raise awareness of

environmental protection This activity also contributes to effective communication and education of aquaculture farmers, thus reducing negative impacts on the environment

It can be seen that the system of infrastructure for tourism service primarily for the conservation of biodiversity, gene sources of plants and animals, propagation and education

of the environment The infrastructure system is mainly located in Cat Ba town and surrounding areas In general, the infrastructure, technical infrastructure for ecotourism in Cat

Ba NP is relatively full and comfortable

Since 2008, Cat Ba National Park has invested in repairing and upgrading infrastructure and technology for tourism services such as Cat Ba Eco Lodge resort, Nam Cat Island resort and Trung Trang Cave From 2017, Cat Ba National Park and the Cat Ba Archipelago Biosphere Reserve will strive to improve the quality of tourism infrastructure

Although there are signs of improvement but the infrastructure, tourism facilities of Cat Ba NP are not enough, not diversified, not create a great attraction for tourists Therefore,

to promote the tourism potential of Cat Ba Island in general and Cat Ba NP in particular, one

of the issues that need to be improved is to attract investment effectively to develop the region

as well as preserve and maintain biodiversity

5.1.2 Tourism services

The Center for Tourism Services and Environmental Education Cat Ba National Park organizes tourism programs for tourists who wish to visit, explore and study the landscape environment with the following categories:

- Ecotourism services: With the routes to Cat Ba NP, tourists can experience the space of the forest and mountains of Cat Ba; learn the ecosystems, typical communities of the National Park

- Research services: Support the research work of national and international scientific organizations on Cat Ba island ecological environment, rare species of plants and

animals in the Cat Ba national park, especially the white-headed langur Receive and support research work through the scientific and environmental research team of the NP

As a result of the survey, the level of tourist satisfaction of Cat Ba National Park tourism is relatively high

Table 5 2 Satisfaction levels of tourists about tourism services Tourism services Satisfaction levels of tourists

(Number of votes- Percentage (%)) Not satisfied Quite

24 40%

29 48.33%

1.6%

11 18.33%

28 46.6%

20 3.33%

5%

2 3.33%

24 40%

31 51.6%

(Source: Results calculated by the author based on data surveyed, 2018)

The results in the table above show that: There are 48.33% of tourists are “very satisfied” and 40% of visitors are “satisfied” with the cost of services The cost of Cat Ba NP

is considered suitable for most tourists and for long trips Service attitude and quality of service are well appreciated with the rate of tourists choose satisfied and very satisfied high With the quality of service, 48 tourists of the 60 tourists interviewed said that they are satisfied and very satisfied with the quality here With service attitude, 51.6% of tourists are

“very satisfied” and only 5% of the tourists are “not satisfied” with the service attitude, this is

a big gap between the number of visitors satisfied and dissatisfied

5.1.3 The tourist spots and routes

5.1.3.1 The tourist spots

Cat Ba National Park has many routes, tourist spots, adventure tourism attracting domestic and foreign tourists with beautiful beaches, bays, small islands, beautiful landscapes, and ecological diversity

The main tourist spots in Cat Ba NP area include:

- Exhibition House of the specimens: Located near the park gate, it displays the specimens of animals and plants distributed in the park Exhibition House places to visit and learn directly about the value of biodiversity of the park through the specimens on Cat Ba Island

- Lan Ha Bay: The bay located in the east of Cat Ba Island, overlooking the Van Gate, adjacent to Ha Long Bay This is a very calm bay with about 400 large and small islands creating a huge picture depicting the scene The density of limestone mountains here is quite thick and still very primitive, dividing sea surface into small bays Different from Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay has 139 small sandy beaches, a peaceful sea with small fishing villages as separate from the rest of the world inviting tourists to explore Many sandy beaches stretch between two rocky mountains, quiet with no big waves, are really the ideal beach In the blue water is the colorful coral reef such as Van Boi Beach, Van Ha beach The calm sea as the Sen Island, Cu Island, Monkey Island where tourists can dive the coral

- Nam Cat Island: has a beach about 500m long, with a wide area in the Lan Ha Bay

of Cat Ba Island Nam Cat is located between the other small islands adjacent to create a beautiful natural sea island beautiful and poetic From the island of Nam Cat, tourists can also rent a boat to visit Lan Ha Bay, visit Ba Dao Dao Island, kayak boating in Van Giai fishing village, take a walk in Viet Hai fishing village and enjoy the fresh air of the ocean in here

- Monkey Island (Cat Dua Island): is about 1 km away from the Cat Ba town To go

to Monkey Island, tourists usually take a boat from Beo wharf about 10 minutes passing Cai

Beo fishing village Monkey Island has a circumference of about 3 km This is an ideal beach for tourists when traveling to Cat Ba because sea water here is very clear The service here is the restaurant roof leaves so tourists can sit to watch the sea, buy drinks, with some services for visitors such as dive, float, kayak In the summer, when the beaches in Cat Ba town are overcrowded, Monkey Island is the ideal place for tourists who want to avoid crowding when swimming

- Thap Nghieng Beach: Beaches have the capacity to build various types of tourism such as swimming, convalescence, camping, diving, boating, rock climbing, boat trips to visit the Gulf ecosystem, visiting vineyards and enjoying the product

- Tai Keo Beach: The area is capable of organizing tourist activities and services such as fishing, scuba diving, swimming, canoeing, water sports, hiking, and wildlife observation, sightseeing, resting, eating…

- Tung Thu Beach: From the center of town about 2km towards Cat Ba forest, tourists can enjoy the modern and comfortable feeling at Tung Thu beach, on the same road to Cat Ba National Park, this beach is considered One of the most attractive beaches in the island by the romantic and rare wild This is also the first beach to be planned and built with modern services and quality in Cat Ba, with an outdoor stage on the beach, the resort, and resort facilities of international class Besides, the sea is blue and clean, the waves are quieter than other beaches, the golden sand stretches endlessly, the fresh breeze blowing from the ocean along with coconut shine on the beach is very attractive visitors come to Cat Ba

- Trung Trang Cave: is located in Trung Trang valley, 15 km northwest of Cat Ba town Tourists almost bend back along the journey to discover the cave more than 300 meters long Over millions of years of geological tectonics, this cave possesses thousands of natural stalactites shaped to create a unique imagination of visitors Trung Trang cave is known locally as "gold treasury" with many unique features Trung Trang has an ecosystem in mysterious darkness, home to many species of animals such as bats, birds, insects, and

reptiles End of the journey to discover more than 300m of Trung Trang caves is a big gate and many shapes as the great sculptures of the creator From here, tourists will step into a green space with thousands of trees and vines Trung Trang Cave is representative of the population of over 150 large and small caves in the Cat Ba archipelago

5.1.3.2 Tourist routes

The main tourist routes in Cat Ba NP include:

- Ecotourism- Environmental education route: Beginning near the park headquarters, this 2.5 km route will guide tourists to some Cat Ba islands including rare animals and plants

as well as various types of different habitats This tour has about 20 points on the route with environmental explanations for about an hour's walk, tourists can go by motorbike to visit The park is using electric vehicles to serve tourists on this beautiful route for the convenience

of tourists as well as friendly to the environment

- The Park Center - Ech Pond – Viet Hai: Starting from Park headquarters and will require the patience of tourists After completing a 2.5 km ecological-ecological tourist route, passing Bau May peak with primeval forest with countless rare fauna and flora species, tourists will come to a forest flooded in the limestone valley at high altitudes above sea level This is the largest freshwater lake on the island, providing wetland habitat for animals and plants in this area (from Park Center to Frog Pond takes about 3 hours) Then tourists can return to the headquarters of the park or continue on to discover many interesting features of the natural The next stop is Viet Hai Commune, a residential area completely located inside the park with unique traditional houses From here tourists can arrange to other areas (such as Cat Ba town) by boat after visiting Lan Ha Bay, the last point of the trip (Take from park’s Headquarters to Lan Ha Bay Park about 6 hours, not including time to travel by boat)

- The Park Centre – Nageia Forest – Ngu Lam Peak – Trung Trang Cave Route: walking, trekking (hiking) for 2 hours (entrance fee is 40.000d / adult, 20.000d / child, guide rent 150,000 VND / group) This route starts from the Park Center (after listening to the Cat

Ba National Park and the World Biosphere Reserve for about 20 minutes at the information booth) with the main points such as fruit orchard, medicinal garden; ecological plantation with diverse species; limestone karst with underground springs; forest plantation value; natural forest on limestone; some ancient banyan trees; Orchids Tourists come to the forest of precious Nageia wood and conquer the top of Ngu Lam (250m high) to be overwhelmed by the majestic mountains, the vast blue of forest trees From here tourists will get a panoramic view of the central area of the island of Cat Ba stretches along the Trung Trang Valley

- Viet Hai - Hai Quan peak route: From Viet Hai port with gorgeous beauty in Viet Hai Bay, tourists can follow a winding road between mountains and sea to visit Viet Hai village (5km from the port) Tourists can visit the traditional architecture of this village and discover, enjoy the culture, cuisine, and activities of local people, explore the natural resources of some communes in the park Continue the journey along the road at the end of the village, after about an hour's walk; tourists will conquer the top of the Navy (where the Navy radar set up in the war against the United States) From this mountain, tourists can admire, enjoy the magnificent scenery and fresh air not only of Cat Ba Bay but also hundreds

of islands of Halong Bay or the other side is the whole peaceful scene of poetic Viet Hai village

- Park Centre - May Bau - Hospital Cave route: Tour with 4 hours of sightseeing, explore the forest with abundant natural resources combined with artificial forest visit and the Hospital - hospital inside the cave, with the evidence of the indomitable tradition of the military and people on the island in the sabotage war against the American Empire

- Zoo - Botanical Garden - Ho Hoi route: is a place for tourists to visit and see the animals are saved and protected in the garden, rare species in Cat Ba In addition, tourists have the opportunity to visit the Orchid Garden and Butterfly Garden, a medicinal garden The tour is for those who do not have enough time and health to climb mountains

- Trung Trang cave: It is a 15-minute walk from the head office of the park The Trung Trang cave is located 1km south of the Park Center, near the road to Cat Ba town This

is one of the largest caves, representing caves in the Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve, a tourist destination with tens of thousands of tourists each year Trung Trang cave is about 300m long through the mountains with thousands of stalactites in different shapes Entering the cave entrance, tourists are not only surprised by the strange creature of nature but also know a story about Cat Ba Island and tourists will be surprised with the impressive stalactites and bat residents in a cave (visit time is 1h - 1.5h)

- Gia Luan- Ang Ke- Tra Bau route: (1-3 days walk to observe primate, swimming, fishing )

- Marine ecotourism route: take a boat trip from the fishing port, take a stroll outside the beach to Ben Beo, or from Ben Beo to visit Ang Vem Bay - Lan Ha Bay - Van Boi - Cat Dua

- Van Ta route: This is a route that organizes activities on forests, sea, islands, coral, bays, and caves, primate visits through kayaking The tour will help tourists better understand the marine ecosystem and get into the beautiful sea

Figure 5 1 Some ecotourism routes in Cat Ba National Park

5.1.4 Tourist characteristics

5.1.4.1 Number of tourists

With abundant natural resources, ecotourism in Cat Ba National Park is an attractive destination for many tourists As a result, the number of tourists and annual revenue has increased, and the service to tourists has been improved

Every year, Cat Ba National Park welcomes a large number of tourists to visit, participate in ecotourism tours with resorts, forests, caves, study areas and have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the bay

Table 5 3 Number of tourists to Cat Ba NP (period 2015-2017)

Unit: 1.000 visitors

Tourists to the forest

route at the center of the

Cat Ba NP

Tourists of sea routes Tourists both forest and

sea routes of the Cat Ba NP

Year Viet

Nam

Intern ationa

l

Total Viet

Nam

Interna tional

Total Viet

Nam

Interna tional

(Source: Service center of Cat Ba National Park)

From the above table shows that domestic tourists accounted for a quite higher rate than foreign tourists, the number of tourists increases every year With the most recent year in

2017, the number of foreign tourists to Cat Ba National Park is quite large (193,392 people)

And in general, the number of domestic and foreign tourists visiting the sea route is greater than the forest tour For domestic tourists, the number of tourists to the sea route in 2017 is 296,137 people while the number of tourists to the forest route is 36,294 people For foreign tourists, the number of tourists to the sea route is 206,651 people while the forest route is 18,781 people

5.1.4.2 Classify tourists by tourism purposes

With the development of internet and travel services, the number of tourists to Cat Ba Island in general and Cat Ba National Park, in particular, is growing Increasing number of tourists is a good sign for the development of tourism in Cat Ba Cat Ba National Park attracts tourists for a variety of reasons, as shown in the chart below:

Figure 5 2 The reason tourists choose to travel in Cat Ba National Park

The reason for choosing Cat Ba National Park is largely due to curiosity, close proximity to nature, and experiences of nature, conservation, and indigenous culture This is consistent with the biological diversity of Cat Ba

Tourists come to Cat Ba mostly through friends, relatives and the internet, these are popular ways today

Gather experience on nature, conservation and indigenous culture

Curious, want

to be close to nature

Random Other reasons